To caleb



(No Model.) 2 sheets sheet 1. A. B. BABBITT. GOLLAPSIBLE TAP.

No. 408,570.. Patented Aug. 6, 1889.

3 MP .& n. w M Q Q HEH Q (No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. B. BABBITT.GOLLAPSIBLHTAR No. 408,570. Patented Aug. 6, 1889.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTEMAS B. BABBITT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR-TO CALEB C.VVALWORTH, OF SAME PLACE.

COLLAPSIBLE TAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,570, dated August6, 1889. Application filed March 18, 1889. Serial No. 303,796. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTEMAS B. BABBITT, of Boston, in the county-ofSuffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Collapsible Taps, which will, in connection with theaccompanying drawings,- be hereinafter fully described, and specificallydefined in the appended claims.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional perspective view, the shelland cutter-holding collar being shown in longitudinal section, and thetap body with its cutters, being shown in perspective. Fig. 2 is an endelevationof the tap-body and its cutters, taken as viewed from the rightin Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the cutters of the tap.Fig. 4 is an end elevation taken at the right of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is alongitudinal section taken on line W, Figs. 8 and 10. Fig. 6

is a detached longitudinal section of the head portion of the tap-body,taken on said line W. Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken on line V,Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a transverse section taken on line Y, Fig. 5. Fig. 9is a transverse section taken on line X, Fig. 5. Fig. 10 is a transversesection taken on line Z, Fig. 5.

This invention relates more especially t taps that are employed inthreading'the couplings and connections used in uniting steam, gas,water, and other metal pipes, and which are known to the trade asexpanding and collapsing taps; and it consists in certain features ofnovelty that will be hereinafter described in connection with saiddrawings, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring again to said drawings, A represents a shell or sleeve havingthe greater diameter a and the less diameter 1), with the resultingshoulder a. The tap-body B is formed with the less diameter d to fit thebore of b, and with the greater diameter 6 to fit the bore of chamber 7.in a, and so as to slide freely endwise in said sleeve. In part c aresecured the splines h, which extend radially into corresponding slots i,formed internally in 'part a, said splines, thus interlocking A and B,serve to insure the coincident rotation of said parts, yet allowing B toslide freely endwise in A, for the purpose to be de scribed.

The front portion 9 of body B is tapered,as shown, and in it are formedthe requisite number of slots to receive the corresponding threadedcutters j, which by the rib m are interlocked in B, but slide endwisetherein.

7 The base or bottom of said slots his indicated by Z, and as oblique toa longitudinal line at the periphery of said portion g, and the cuttersj are correspondingly tapered, so that their threaded portion or side 1)will at all times be parallel, or practically so, with the periphery ofg. Upon the outer face of the inner and thinner portion of cutters 7' isformed a projection or stud n, which, when the parts are assembled, isin the annular space o between the outer end face of A and the innerface of collar u, whereby the cut tors are secured against end movement,but have. a free radial movement, according as bodyB is advanced orretracted, thereby constituting an expandingand collapsing action.

The shell A is inserted in a hollow arbor C, in which it is secured bypin q, said arbor being driven in a well-known manner and (throughshellA and the interlocking therewith of the tap-body B by splines h) drivingthe tap, a slot 5 being formed in part 01 of body B to freely admit thepin q, while the slot is of such length as to properly limit theadvancing. and retractile movement of the tap.

It will be obvious that when tap B is advanced the cutters j will rideup the inclined bottom of grooves 70, and be thereby expanded or movedradially outward and beyond the periphery of portion g of body B, asshown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the cutters being held from end movement bytheir studs 02, seated in groove 11, as already explained, and when thetap is withdrawn the cutters will by the interlocked rib m be movedtoward the axis of B, thus collapsing the tap and allowing its instantwithdrawal from the cavity which has been threaded.

The threaded stem f of body B is engaged in rod w, which is arrangedaxially in arbor C, and is in a well-known manner automatically actuatedto produce the described endwise movement of the tap-body B.

Reference is hereby made to United States Patent No. 252,068, issuedJanuary 10, 1882, to C. C. VValworth for a machine for tapping andreaming, as embodying a machine in which expanding and collapsing tapsare employed, and consequently with which this invention is connected,and as showing the method of utilizing this class of taps.

It will be obvious that shell A is but a portion or extension of hollowarbor O,hut made separate and so attached as to be separated therefromfor purposes of repair or change of parts.

I am aware of United States Patents Nos. 26,487 and 198,945, and Idisclaim all that is shown or described therein, as the combinationwhich I claim is entirely lacking in such patents, for in said patentNo. 26,487 the threaded cutters there shown are not and cannot becollapsed or expanded by an endwise movement of the tap-body, but theyare collapsed and expanded by means of an obliquely-slotted collar,which forces said outters endwise relatively to the tap-body, accordingas said collar is rotated in one direction or the other, and in saidpatent No. 198,945 not only are the threaded cutters not radiallyactuated by an endwise movement of the tap-body, but such movement [iseffected by means of a collar mounted on the tap-body, which collar isconnected by a stud with a rod arranged axially in the tap itself, whichrod is arranged to move the cutters radially; but in myinvention thereis no rod in the tap, nor are the cutters ever moved endwise, but theyare interlocked in a hollow arbor to secure them from end movement, andthey are actuated radially by the endwise movement of the tap-body,which body is interlocked with and rotates coincidently with the hollowarbor, which is another feature not found in said earlier patents.

I claim as my invention- 7 1. The combination of a hollow arbor, atapbody arranged axially in said arbor and illterlocked therewith toinsure coincident rotation, but allowing a free endwise movement of saidtap,aseries of tapering threaded cut-ters interlocked in grooves thatare oblique to the axis of said tap to allow a sliding movement thereof,said cutters having an external projection interlocked in said hollowarbor, all substantially as specified.

2. The combination of hollow arborA, with its cap a and space v,tap-body 13, arranged axially in and interlocked therewith and havingthe radial tapering grooves 70 formed therein, and tapering cutters 1',interlocked in said grooves by rib m, and also interlocked in arbor A bystuds n, seated in space 1*, all substantially as specified.

ARTEMAS B. BABBITT.

\Vitnesses:

T. W. PORTER, EUGENE HUMPHREY.

